Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fawcett for the question. I am advised that the number of diagnosed cases of coronavirus has now exceeded 80,000. Just over 2,750 people have now lost their lives due to the coronavirus. In terms of the 80,000, the majority have been reported from mainland China, with 2,752 cases reported from 39 countries and regions outside of mainland China. The situation globally has seen significant jumps in Japan, South Korea, Iran and parts of northern Italy, with Austria, Switzerland and Croatia reporting their first confirmed cases. Twenty-five per cent of all reported cases outside of mainland China are associated with the Diamond Princess cruise ship, while 36 per cent are from South Korea.

As the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health have stated, Australia is not immune to the coronavirus and its impacts, but we are as best prepared as any country can be in the world today. The government's decisions from the outset have been to exercise an abundance of caution. That continues, and we are not complacent going forward. The government is working constantly to keep Australians safe. That is our No. 1 priority.

On 21 January the Chief Medical Officer made the decision to declare coronavirus a disease of pandemic potential. This triggered a series of actions in Australia: the standing up of the national incident centre, the standing up of the National Medical Stockpile, the readiness and activation of the national trauma centre, daily meetings of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and meetings of state, territory and Commonwealth health ministers to discuss pandemic readiness.